Rain Dance
by FullWingedLove
Summary: After suppressed emotions resurface, the fun begins. A breathtaking dance leads to a moment in the rain. MA. Set a year after Hello, Goodbye.


_A/N: Okay, I would like to dedicate this to three people. First, M. for being the gosh darn best beta from hell. Second, E. without her, I would never had pushed myself into giving her something to read, and thanks for the death threats to you know who. Last, D. because she is great, and no one else would push me into a lake for no reason. Hee! (I apologize for getting this out so late...I had to think of a summary. Which I promised not to complain about.)_

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The sky above Seattle split in half with the brightness of light. The light seemed as if it couldn't find a path of its own. It lit up the sky, making the dull and dismal day seem more hopeful then it actually was. The clouds rumbled with the echoes of remembrance of the lightning strike.

Drops of water rained down on the city, showing no mercy to the people of Seattle for at least three days. It soaked the citizens and flooded the streets. Only the brave dared to tempt their fate by going outside.

Those who wanted to stay warm and dry heeded the words of the weathermen. It left everything in the city eerie and quiet. Everything was abandoned: stores were closed, and streets lights left burnt out with the never-ending darkness. There was nothing, making one think Seattle truly was deserted.

On the Space Needle, a girl watched as the water soaked the town below her to its core. She sat there, watching. Lightening struck again above her, the thunder booming seconds later. And yet she sat there, not even flinching with the resonating sound.

"You know you shouldn't be anywhere near metal during a storm, right?" someone behind her asked. She didn't turn around. Her instincts told her who it was. Max bit her lip, trying to think of a way to explain her irrational behavior.

"I know, but I came up here to be alone," Max said. As she got up, her clothes stuck to her skin, which made it uncomfortable to move. Max turned to face him as he watched her every moment, almost cautiously.

"What are _you _doing here, Alec?" she asked her eyes flaring with emotion. She brought her hand up to pull a strand of hair out of her face.

"I wanted to make sure you were okay, considering what day it is," he replied. She stared at the steel below her. The wind blew her hair back into her face, which made it easier for her to avoid his questioning eyes.

"Thanks for the concern, but it's not needed. I'm fine," she said. The sound of rain hitting the ground below her feet took over the now dead conversation. Alec started move towards her, trying to close the distance between them. Max watched his movements warily.

"I'm sure. It's been a year. I figured I'd find you here," he explained. Max walked farther from the edge of the Needle, towards him.

"I'm always alright," she said mockingly. He flinched, her words striking his heart reword. She smirked and walked past him. Alec stood there, staring where she had stood a second ago. The footsteps behind him stopped abruptly. He heard Max sigh heavily.

"I'm sorry," she whispered. He turned around her, masking his emotions. She stood at the doorway leading to the stairs. Her right hand on the framing, grasping it so hard her knuckles turned white. Her head faced ahead of her, defiantly keeping her gaze forward. He crossed his arms in front of him, as if to defend himself in case her words attacked him again.

"I didn't mean…just mind your own business. I can deal with this on my own." She began her descent down the stairs, her heart wrenching towards the man behind her.

"Your brother died, that's not something you get over on your own Maxie," he said, using her nickname to dull the blow. His words flowed down the stairs, halting her three steps down. Tears began to crowd in her eyes.

"There's a difference from a normal death and a murder Alec," she said, her voice detached and cold. He walked past the discarded debris in the Needle, and towards the doorway that separated them from each other. The air smelled of salt and water as he got closer to her.

"I was the one that killed him Alec. The look on his face when he told me he didn't want to go back, it burns in my mind every time I think of him." A tear that had been caught on her eyelashes trailed down her cheek, leaving behind a wet path on her skin. She inhaled deeply, suppressing her tears.

"Max, you did what you had to, to protect him. If you hadn't killed him, Manticore would've destroyed him from the inside out. You saved him. Don't torture yourself with something that you had no choice in," he said trying to comfort her. She turned her head towards him, and he saw such emotions in her tear filled eyes. Her lip trembled with the overwhelming emotions that took her.

"I failed him Alec." The tears flowed freely from her eyes with this confession, the wall to her true emotions breaking down to crumbling bits. Inside her, the battle between guilt and denial of what she had done waged on. "I thought that I had solved this problem, I thought that maybe if I forgot completely about what I did then I would be able to move on as if nothing had happened. But I can't," she said her voice breaking. He moved towards her, and encircled her in his arms.

"You don't have to. A piece of him will always live on within you. You don't have to repress everything that pains you, having emotions is what makes us human…or partially," he joked. She chuckled a little, trying to force the weight on her heart off.

"But if you ever feel like breaking down again like this, I'll be here for you. Anytime, day or night, even if it's five in the morning, you can come to me. Now on a less serious note, I think you might want to change soon, you're soaking wet," Alec said stepping back from her.

She was greeted with a cold chill, the warmth his embrace had given her, taken away. Max looked down at her clothes, and saw that she was completely wet. Even her favorite pair of combat boots were greatly affected by the rain. She also noticed that there seemed to be a small puddle gathering around her legs.

Her gaze traveled towards Alec, his upper body seemingly shaking. Inspecting him more closely, she saw that the front of his shirt had a darker outline than the rest of it. Then it hit her like a semi-truck, he was cold.

"Sorry about that," she said, and then laughed nervously. His eyebrow rose, and then he followed the direction of her stare. He pulled his shirt out, examining the drenched remains.

"Nah, it wasn't like I liked this one that much anyways. Besides, it's not like a little water ever hurt anything." He twisted his hands, ridding the shirt of as much water as he could manually. He smiled as the water from his shirt dripped down onto the ground, and snaked its way towards Max's puddle, causing the puddle to grow.

He looked back up from the gathered water to see Max staring out the window at the falling rain. She seemed mesmerized by the droplets dropping down outside. Her eyes glowed with childlike happiness. Alec was shocked that an event so small could make her so happy, after everything that she had went through today. In that moment he knew that this loveable defiance of hers was what caused him to eventually fall head over heels in love with her. He smiled fondly.

Suddenly she whipped her head towards him, and beamed him a purely brilliant smile of her own. Emotions swirled in his eyes as he was unable to tear them from the amazing woman in front of him. She was his, a woman who was so astonishing. She was so utterly herself, not caring that her clothes were completely soaked, or that she had just had an emotional breakdown. All of her attention was focused on something as simple as the rain outside.

"Have you ever wanted to dance in it?" she asked him, abruptly pulling Alec from his thoughts. His eyebrow rose, another smile taking over the features of his face.

"Dance in what?"

"The rain, silly!" she said her voice filled with innocence. He smirked playfully, and shook his head.

"I've always wanted to, I'd see kids dancing out in the streets in weather like this when I was younger, but there was the possibility of exposure, what with Lydecker looking for my unit and all. So, I never got to experience it," she explained.

"Then would you care to dance with me?" Alec asked politely. He bowed, extending his hand towards her. She laughed kindly at him. Stepping forward, she grasped his hand.

"How noble you are, kind sir, but it seems as if it would be completely pointless to dance in the rain…without the rain," she stated, her eyes smiling with joy.

"If you can't bring the rain to you, then you must bring yourself to the rain," he said walking towards the door, his hand tugging her with him. She laughed again, and followed him obediently down the stairs to the world outside.

As soon as they stepped outside the shelter of the Needle, the rain pelted mercilessly down upon them. Max smiled as her clothes once again took to sticking to her skin. Raising her hands high above her, Max closed her eyes and twirled in circles, enjoying the feel of the pattering rain. Stopping abruptly, she faced Alec, her hand openly outstretched, waiting for him.

"You know you're not leading, right?" he asked playfully. Max nodded her head in reply. Alec stepped towards her, closing the distance between them once again. His left hand took hold of her right. Their hands fit perfectly. Alec placed his other hand hesitantly above her hip, making Max's blood run cold with the closeness of the situation. Awkwardly, she lifted her right hand to his shoulder, completing the simple dancing formation.

"Ready?" he sputtered. However awkward Alec felt was how confused Max was—her usual defiance and highly armed guard was, for a moment, let down. Yet she smiled and nodded weakly, a reaction which caught her by surprise.

They danced a flawless waltz, as if they had practiced it millions of times before. The couple moved with each other in perfect harmony, creating a tempo all their own.

"Where did you learn to dance?" Max questioned, studying their feet as the pair executed the dance perfectly. One stepping back coyly as the other followed in precision, the game between the competitors continuing on. He laughed as he watched her concentrated stare directed towards their moving feet.

"I could ask you the very same thing," he said avoiding her inquiry. She let it drop, red flags flaring up in her mind. Her eyes caught his again, chocolate and hazel melted together as neither looked away. Warmth flooded through Max, chasing away the chill from the freezing rain that was showering down on them.

Alec unexpectedly spun her away, his hand keeping her connected to him. She twirled around and halted, only to be spun back in again by Alec. He caught her in his arms, barring himself from the force of her body, to keep them both from falling.

He supported her weight as she dipped her whole body backwards. He then brought her up slowly and carefully, so not to risk dropping her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, holding onto him for no specific reason. Their breath mingled heavily in the air, warmth spreading between them.

Max lifted her glowing eyes to look at him, captivated by the moment. There in the depths of her eyes he saw the desire stirring within their depths. His hand moved of its accord, weaving its way through her soggy maple hair. He tilted her head up, his lips hovering a mere centimeter away from hers.

"Are you sure?" he asked softly. Her answer was clear as their lips melted together. She could feel her pulse soaring with the intensity of the kiss, her heart hammered away in its little cage. Max felt her knees give way as she was swept away with the raw passion striking her with his warm touch. Alec grasped her, supporting her with his own strength.

He broke off the kiss, and took a shallow breath. Leaning his head against hers, he looked once more into her eyes. He grinned. Max stepped back, her breath coming out in short ragged breaths. She lifted a hand to touch her lips, smiling as she felt them starting to swell.

"Wow, I mean…wow," she whispered.

"I assume that to be a compliment," he said and smirked. She raised her hand, intending to smack him on the head, but halted it a few inches away from its destination. He didn't flinch, just took her hand from its halted place near his hand, and kissed it.

"So, what do we do now?" she asked.

"Well I was thinking a combination of the tango, and break dancing. You know, old school meets…new school," he smirked joyfully as she glared at him. "How about we just go get some hot chocolate? Your treat."

"In your dreams pretty boy, if we go anywhere, it's going to be your treat," she said turning away from him, and walked over to her motorcycle. She straddled it, and waited for him to get on.

"Fine, but you're buying next time we have an adventure in the rain." He got on the back of the motorcycle, and put his arms around her stomach. His touch making her feel sudden warmth, she shivered.

"Are you cold?" he asked gently, whispering the words in her ear. She leaned into him, melting into the form of his body.

"How did you get here anyways? Where's your bike?" she questioned, tactfully avoiding his inquiry.

"In the shop, it needed a tune up. But I called in a few favors. You'd be surprised how many people don't want to go out in this kind of storm." She turned the engine on, and smiled at the kindness of his gesture.

"Thanks," she said revving the engine.

"What'd you say?" he yelled.

"Hang on!" He complied, and put his arms all the way around her stomach, securing himself safely to the vehicle. She drew her legs into the sides of the bike, and revved the engine again, causing them to bolt out of the parking lot of the Space Needle.

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_A/N: So? Bad or good? Any awkwardness can be blamed on me. Tell me what you think!_


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